School counselling in Wales: Recommendations for good practice

Aims: This paper presents the context, methodologies and findings of a research project commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government to evaluate school counselling and services available to children and young people in the UK and to make recommendations for future service development in Wales. Method: The study adopted three research methods: desk research (a literature review), a quantitative survey, and qualitative fieldwork. The survey included a sample of primary and secondary schools in Wales, as well as local authorities. Fieldwork included interviews with teachers, counsellors, parents, and children. Findings: Evidence-based recommendations for counselling service provision in schools in Wales were developed, which now inform the Welsh Assembly Government's (WAG) National Strategy for counselling in schools in Wales (2008).